Circuit controller



April 17, 1934. M COLAS E AL 1,954,789

CIRCUIT CONTROLLER Filed sept. 27. 19:52

7l i2 1743 i132 19 E; il! l'. 'Il A ,i: I' I 2L sg: ES' 852 2 9 '52' sa li 42 51@ I". fl 25 51 gmx 5 CZLS l Inventors 1Z0/Wada? 00a/'ZUM Atlorneys Patented pr. 17, 1934 UNITED STATES CIRCUIT CONTROLLER Maurille Colas and Harmidas Courtois, Montreal. Quebec, Canada Application September 27, 1932, Serial No. 635,110

1 Claim.

The present invention relates to improvements in circuit controllers and has particular reference to a circuit controller actuated by clockwork.

An important object of the invention is the provision or" a clockwork actuated circuit oontroiler whereby an electric circuit will be automatically closed and opened at predetermined intervals.

A further object of the invention is the provision of circuit controller mechanism of the above character designed so that the circuit may be closed for selected variable periods.

Another object of the invention is the provision of circuit controller mechanism of the above type having an automatically adjustable switch in the controller circuit which will be automatically adjusted to assume closed and opened positions for predetermined periods of time.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of mechanism of the above character embodying a contact arm mounted to rotate with the hour hand of a clock mechanism and to engage, at regular intervals, an arcuate Contact member for closing an electric circuit.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of mechanism of the above type having a switch member mounted to be automatically adjusted to open the circuit during alternate engagement of the contact arm with the arcuate contact member.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description pro.- gresses.

In the accompany drawing forming a part iof this specification and in which like reference characters are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout the same:.-

Figure l is a front elevational view of the mechanism in assembly,

Figure 2 is a horizontal section taken on the line 2--2 of Figure l,

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken on the line :3 3 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary transverse section taken vertically through the centre of the mechanism,

Figure 5 is a vertical section through the central portion of the mechanism.

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on the line 8 8 of Figure 3,

Figure 7 is a perspective View of the contact ring member,

Figure 8 is a fragmentary transverse section .through the mechanism,

(Cl. 20G- 36) Figure 9 is an enlarged section taken on the line 13-13 of Figure 3.

Referring to the drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 15 generally designates an exterior box-like container designed to receive the clock therein. In the bottom of the container 15, adjacent one side, is fitted a contact plate 16 disposed within a recess and having connection with one wire 17 of an electric circuit. In a recess in the opposed side portion of the bottom are provided a pair of resilient contact plates 18, the bottom of which is connected with a Vconductor Wire 19. Hingedly connected with one side of the container 15 is a front cover member 20 having attached thereto a plug 21 which` in closed position, engages the spaced resilient contacts 18.

Removably disposed within the container 15 is a clock A which may be of the spring Wound or other suitable type, embodying, in the present instance, an annular `casing 23. Within the casing 23 is mounted a dial plate 24, minute and hour hands 25 and 26, respectively, and mechanism 27 7for rotatably actuating the hands.

To the inner side of the dial plate is secured a `disc 28 kof insulating material having secured on one side thereof a resilient contact strip 29 and `an angularly bent strip 30 having a resilient projection 31 at`one end and a similar projection V 32 at the opposed end.

To the circumferential casing 23 are detach,- ably connected supporting legs, each of which embodies a tubular exterior sleeve 33 and a con-- ducting rod 34 extending therethrough. The conducting rods 34 project from each end of the leg and sleeve 33, the outer ends thereof being disposed in contact with the elements 16 and 18 when the clock is positioned in the container or housing 15. The inner end of one of the rods 34 engages a resilient contact piece 35, the opposed end of the piece projecting through the insulating disk 28 and engaging an angularly bent contact strip 36. As will be noted from Figure 8, the strip 36 is connected, by conducting fastener elements, with the strip 29.

As shown to advantage in Figure 3, the clock mechanism includes an hour hand Wheel 38, which is connected with the arbor of the hour hand for rotating the latter. To the peripheral portion of the wheel 38 is connected a tripping pin 39. To the hub portion of the wheel 38 is connected an insulating disk 40 and, to the outer side of the disk, an annular contact member 41.

.Connected with or formed integral with the antti nular contact 41 and extending radially outward therefrom, is a straight contact arm 42 adapted to be rotated with the annular contact and the hour hand arbor.

Rotatably secured against the face of the disk 28 is a rotatable spur wheel 43, in the present instance embodying four tapered radial spurs Yhaving attached to the outer face a transversely extending contactV bar 44 disposed, When the wheel 43 is in a predetermined position, to engage the oiset ends of the resilient contact members 29 and 31. A spring 45, attached to the disk 28, is arranged tc engage the periphery of the wheel 43 and to resiliently hold the same in a predetermined position. The spurs of the wheel 43 are Jformed to extend in the path of movement of the pin 39 to be periodically rotated thereby.

VA ring 47, of conducting material, is attached to the disk 28, this ring being formed to provide a relatively wide portion 48 and a narrow portion 49. Connected to the Wider portion of the ring and mounted thereon so as to be circumferentially adjustable are a pair of movable arcuate contact sections 50 and 51 having radially extending knobs 52 attached thereto. The knobs 52 arerformed to project through the exterior casing of the clock andare provided with intermediate reduced portions movable in arcuate slots in the casing. The ring 47 is connected, through the medium of a connecting contact strip 53, with one of the rods 34 of the clock legs.

yThe foregoing mechanism operates as follows: When the wheel 43 is in the postion shown at 'Figure r3 with the contact bar 44 engaging the strips 29 and 31 sc as to close the auxiliary controller circuit, the rotation of the contact arm 42 in correspondence with that of the. hour hand causes closure of the main circuit wires 17 and y19 when the arm moves in such position as to contact with the Vwider portion of the ring 47. In the remainder portion of its rotary movement, the arm will assume a position spaced from the narrow section of the ring. Thus, the coni tact arm will engage the ring 47 to close the main circuit for a period of time during each twelve Y.hour movement of the clock mechanism. The

duration of the circuit closing time may be varied by adjustment of the knobs 52 and the arcuate contact sections 50 and 51 attached thereto so as to enable regulation of the time when the closing operation will be eected and the time at which the circuit will become automatically opened.

As the mechanism is particularly adapted for automatically controlling the operation of electric signs Vand the like, it is desirable that the circuit closing operation be omitted during the daytime. With this in mind, the auxiliary circuit is opened during the day light twelve Lhour period by reason of the pin 39 engaging the wheel 43 causing the switch bar 44 to assume a position out of contact with the members 29 and 31 and even though the arm 42 engages the main contact ring 47 during this period of the operation, the circuit will remain open.

In order to aioid means for inspecting the Voperation of the mechanism, we contemplate colouring the front face of the wheel 43 in two distinct coloursor hues and providing an inspection opening in the dial so that it will be readily apparent whether the switch Wheel 43 isV in an open or closed position.

As shown at Figure 2, the casing is provided with designating characters which will enable setting of the knobs to effect closing of the circuit at a selected time in the evening and opening thereof at a predetermined time in the morning.

It is to be understood that the form of our invention herein shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various'changes as to the shape, size, and

arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claim.

Having thus described our claim:-

In electric circuit controlling mechanism, the combination of a clock including a rotary hour hand and mechanism for actuating the hour hand, a Contact arm attached to the hour hand actuating mechanism and rotatable in unison with the hand, aY contact ring having sections movable to selectively engage the arm during a portion of its rotary movement, said ring being connected to one side of a main electric circuit, a snap switch connected in series with the other side of the circuit to which the contact arm is coninvention, we

nected, and switch tripping means associatedk with the clock mechanism for automatically adjusting the switch to an open position for fixed predetermined periods of time.

MAURILLE COLAS. HARMIDAS COURTOIS. 

